Automobile parking apparatus



Filed NOV. 3, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. A Ivan filfi 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1. WQLFF June 3, 1958 AUTOMOBILE PARKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1953 Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Illlllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll June 3, 1958 AUTOMOBILE PARKING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1953 E FFEIEH EEIEIEIEIET EIEJ EIEIEI BE 3 EDGE;

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EICIEJEIBE] United States Patent AUTOMOBILE PARKING APPARATUS Ivan Wold, New York, N. Y. Application November-:3, 1953, Serial No..389,91ii

1 Claim. (Child-16.1)

":This inventionrelates-toautomobile parking or storage structures, and more particularly to means .by which a relatively large .number of automobiles can be conveniently parked .or protectively stored while requiring .a

minimum'of floor space.

All; is 'well appreciated that the problem of parking or storing cars inzthe larger-cities -:of the world is a pressing .problem and while attempts have been made tozsolve it, difficulties havebeen encountered which have made past .efforts not completely successful. 1

It isthereforevan objectofthe present invention to provide astorage structure in which the :entry. of cars and .the selective removal of cars therefrom shall be accomplished smoothly and :witha minimum of delay. It is :another object of the invention .to'provide a structure in which each car may be stored in and protectively housed .in .a closed cubicle and in which the car shall remain, until required to be removed by the owner. It'is .still another object oftheinvention to provide'meansxby which .a plurality :ofrcarsrmay be storedeither laterally of one another on a multiple floor level or on thesame horizontal plane, or may be stored in superposedirelation .or on :averticalplane, the plane employed in each instance making use of all available space for storage purposes.

-.It is another object of the inventiontoprovide amethod of moving the car-containing cubicle through a predetermined path of travel to thereby position the various .cubicles in a certain relationship to make the best use .of storage space afforded and at the same time 'to enable any-selected cubicle, and the car which it'holds, to be brought to-street level and removed when required by its owner.

With .these and other objects to be set forth hereinafter in view, Ihave devised the arrangement 'ofparts to be described, and ,more particularly pointd out in the A claim appended hereto. .In the-accompanying drawings, wherein :an illustrative embodiment: of the invention is disclosed,

,Fig. l is a horizontal :sec'tional'view-of abuilding or frame .structureformingpart of the storage apparatus,

showing the gearing employed for the propulsion of the Fig. 4 is'a sectional view through the lower portion open at thesides. ing is shown unenclosed.

will now be described.

ice

.in tiers or arranged in a vertical plane.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, a frame structure is shown .Iin

Fig. 1 .inwhich thestorage apparatus is embodied. This structure might 'bera building having enclosing walls and aroof, or it might besimply -a frame work of girders For simplicity in illustration, theifram- In the frame, the vertical beams of the structure are shown at 15, and the same are arranged in suitably spaced relationship and are connected and braced by longitudinally-extending horizontal beams 16 .and a plurality of transverse connecting beams 17. Inthe structure shown in Fig. 1, the several horizontally-arranged beams 16 and 17 are so arranged 'and moved from .place '-to place within the supporting frame in a manner to be described. One of these cubicles in Fig. 2 it will benoted that the cubicle-20 is in the form of a:rectangularhousing, preferably, but not necessarily, composed of reinforced sheet metal. The'cubicle can beprovided at the front with a suitable movable door, a portion of which is shown at 21, and with a closed back .panel 22. The door 21 may be one which can be either manually or automatically closed after entry of the car into thecubicle. In either event, after the door is closed, it will be obvious that the car whichhas been placed within the cubicle will be'thereupon contained in a completelyenclosed chamber and thus protected during travel of the cubicle and during its storage. While it has been mentioned that the cubicle .20 may be arranged with a front door, it will be apparent that the cubicle might have a side door and thus be open at the side and the car entered from one side, if conditions of space and storage require such an arrangement.

Located within the cubicle 20 is a slidable platform upon which the car is supported, said platform being movable into and out of the cublicle tothereby bring the car borne by it into the cubicle for storage, or else bring the car out of the cubicle for delivery to the owner of the car. To enable the platform to be moved in the manner described, the same is provided on its underside with the rollers 24 which ride upon the rails 25 located-at the junctions of the side walls 27 and bottom 28 of the cubicle. In'Fig. 2 no means is shown for shifting the platform 23, but Fig. 5 shows such means, said means consisting of a rack 29 carried by the platform and in engagement with a worm 30 mounted rotatively within the cubicle and driven by an electric motor. It will be obvious, from the description given, that each car to be stored can be driven orotherwise moved onto one of the platforms 23 while the platform is located out of its cubicle, and when the car is located on the platform and immovably held thereon by suitable locking or blocking means, the platform 23 and the car supported upon it will then be moved into the cubicle; the door of the cubicle shut, and the cubicle then moved through its required cycle to its storage position.

The means for moving the cubicles to storage positions will now be described. Reference is first made to Fig. 3 wherein it will be noted that each of the cubicles is pro- .vided on the underside of its bottom 28 with a plurality of swivel-type rollers 31 which are so located that the same rest upon and travel along the beams 16 and 17 in the direction as required by the movements of the cubicle. Also secured on the underside of the bottom 28 of the cubicle is a pair of longitudinally-extending toothed racks indicated respectively at 32 and 33, and which racks are intended to mesh with longitudinally-extending worms provided in the frame of the structure and shown in Fig. l, and which will be later described in detail.

Also fastened to the underside of the bottom 28 of each cubicle is a pair of transverse toothed racks indicated respectively at 34 and 35 and which racks are adapted to mesh with certain transversely-extending worms shown in Fig. 1 and to be soon described in detail.

Referring now to Fig. 1, it will be noted that there is therein shown a storage structure in which all of the cars to be stored will be located on the same horizontal level. Therein the cubicle in which the cars enter from the street is positioned at the point indicated by the dotand-dash lines 36, in which position the longitudinal racks 32 and 33 located on the bottom of that particular cubicle will be then in mesh with the longitudinally-extending worms indicated at 37 and 38. While the cubicle is in a. position of rest at the location indicated at 36, these worms will be stationary or non-rotating. At the proper time they can be set in rotation by the electric motors 39, 40. While the worms 37 and 38 are shown as being driven by separate motors at the same speed, it is possible to drive both worms from a single motor if desired.

When the cubicle is positioned at the point designated at 36, its transverse racks 34 and 35 will then be in mesh with the transverse worms indicated respectively at 41 and 42, and which worms will be non rotative while the cubicle is stationary at the position designated at 36. The worms 41 and 42 are respectively rotated at the required times and at the same speedby means of the motors indicated at 43 and 44. After a cubicle located at the position indicated at 36 has received a car for storage, the filled cubicle is then shifted to the left of -Fig. l or in the direction indicated by the arrows 45.

This lateral movement of the filled cubicle is effected by rotation of the worms 41 and 42 and the engagement of the worms with the racks 34 and 35 on the cubicle. As the cubicle moves toward the left, the racks 34 and 35 gradually come into mesh with transverse worms 46 and 47 which are respectively axially aligned with the worms 42 and 41. The worms 46 and 47 are rotated by the motors indicated at 48 and 49. Further lateral shifting movement of the cubicle toward the left brings the racks 34 and 35 thereon into mesh with the worms 50 and 51, which worms are also in axial alignment with the worms 46 and 47, and worms 50 and 51 are driven by the motors indicated respectively at 52 and 53. When the cubicle reaches the limit of its movement toward the left in Fig. 1, its longitudinal racks 32 and 33 will be brought into mesh with the longitudinal worms indicated at 54 and 55. The worm indicated at 54 can, if desired, be a continuous one, extending for the entire length of the frame structure, and in the arrangement shown it is shown as being rotated at the required times by means of the electric motor 56. The electric motor shown at 57 drives the worm 55 when required.

When the cubicle reaches the limit of its travel to the left in Fig. 1, as above explained, it is then ready for travel rearwardly or in the direction of the arrows indicated at 58 in Fig. 1. For this purpose, the worms 54 and 55 are now rotated, while the worms 50 and 51 are stationary, and the engagement of the worms 54 and 55 with the racks 32 and 33 on the bottom of the cubicle will cause the cubicle to be thereupon moved to the rear of the structure next to assume the position shown at 4 37a in Fig. l. The worm 59 rotated by the motor 60, and forming an axially-aligned continuation of the worm 55, will aid in the rearward propulsion of the cubicle to the position shown at 37a and subsequently to the position shown at 37b which, in the particular six-car structure of Fig. l is the rear-most position of one of the rows of cubicles. The worm shown at 61, rotated by the electric motor 62, andforming an axially-aligned continuation of the worm 59, aids in establishing the cubicle in the rearmost position shown at 3715.

When the cubicle reaches the rearrnost position, or that shown at 3725, its transverse racks 34 and 35 will then be in mesh with the transverse worms indicated at 63 and 64. Worm 63 is rotated by the motor 65, while the worm 64 is rotated by the motor 66. When these two worms 63 and 64 are rotated, while worms 54 and 61 are stationary, the cubicle will thereupon be shifted laterally, or to the right as viewed in Fig. l, to next occupy the position shown at 370. This lateral movement of the cubicle is performed by the axially-aligned worms 63, 67 and 68 operative upon the rack 35 and by the axiallyaligned worms 64, 69 and 70 operated upon the rack 34.

Worm 67 is driven by the motor 71, while the worm 68 is driven by the motor 72. Worm 69 is rotated by the motor 73, while worm 70 is rotated by the motor 74.

-After reaching the position shown at 37c, the cubicle is then ready for forward travel, or for movement in the direction of the arrows 75 until it reaches its'final location directly behind the point designated at 36. I When the cubicle reaches this position and all of the cubicles following behind it contain cars, the floor will then be filled and for the storage of additional cars, subsequent cubicles filled at the location 36 will be elevated to a second floor and the intermittent rectilinear movement of the cubicles as heretofore described is followed out on that floor.

In moving the cubicle from the position 37c to its forward position directly behind the point designated at 36, the worms shown at 76 and 77 are set in rotation by their respective motors 78 and 79 and these worms, then in mesh with the racks 32 and 33 will propel the cubicle forwardly. This forward propulsion of the cubicle from the position 37c to a position in advance thereof, will be taken up by the worms 80 and 81 as the cubicle reaches the latter worms. Worm 80 is shown as being rotated by the motor 82, while the worm 81 is indicated as being driven by the motor 83.

While the severalworms shown in the structure seen in Fig. 1 are indicated as being rotated by the motors disclosed, it will be apparent that the number of driving motors may. be materially reduced, but for illustrative purposes, the motors are shown as indicated.

By reference to the diagrammatic disclosures of Fig. 6 the manner in which a twelve-cubicle storage structure is operated, will be readily understood. This structure is one of single-floor construction and in which the movement or travel of the several cubicles is conducted on a horizontal plane. In the disclosure indicated as cycle 1 there are shown twelve cubicles, eleven of which are empty of cars. In the cubicle designated as 1, a car has been placed and that cubicle is now ready for movement. By operation of the transverse worms 41 and 42 the cubicle 1 is shifted to the left while the other cubicles in the structure move a step forward in a rectilinear path as indicated by the arrows in cycle 1. In cycle 2 the cubicle 1 has been moved tothe left as described and also rearwardly one step and now occupies the position shown in this cycle, while an empty cubicle has been moved to receiving position indicated at 2 and a car is delivered into it. In cycle 3, cubicle 2 has been moved to the left and also one step rearwardlywhile cubicle 1 also moves rearwardly one step. Another car has been delivered into the cubicle designated at 3. In cycle 4, cubicle 3 has moved to the left and then one step rearwardly while the filled cubicles 1, 2 and 3 have advanced one step '5 rearwardly. Also another car has been deliuered' into the cubicle 4.

In cycle Sit will be observed that cubicle 4 has moved toward the left and then one step to the rear while the cubicles 1, 2, 3 and 4 have advanced one step to the rear. At this step another car is delivered into: cubicle designated at 5. Turning now to cycle 6 it will be noted that cubicle 5 has moved to the left and one step rearwardly while cubicles 1, 2, 3, and 4,-have advanced rearwardly before it. It will be noted that at this time, the cubicle 1 has reached the limit of itsrearward movement, so that upon its next movement it must move laterally or to the right. In cycle 6 it will be seen that a carhas; been delivered into the cubicle 6. Referring now to cycle 7, we find that cubicle 1 has moved to the right by operation of worms 63 and 64 while cubicles 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 have followed behind it, and cubicle 2 now occupies the rear position in the left row of cubicles.

In cycle 8 it is noted that the cubicle 7 which received a car in cycle .7, has moved to the left and one step to the rear, preceded by the cubicles 1 to 7 inclusive. Cubicles 1 and 2 are now positioned in the right row and on subsequent movements will travel toward the front of the structure. At this point a car has been delivered into cubicle 8. In cycle 9 cubicle 8 has been moved to the left and also one step to the rear; the cubicles 1 to 8 inclusive have moved one step, with cubicles 1 and 2 traveling forwardly and cubicle 3 now being located in the right row. In cycle 10 the filled cubicle 9 has moved to the left and one step to the rear, a car has been moved into cubicle 10, and cubicles 1 to 9 inclusive have moved one step. In cycle 11 a car has been moved into cubicle 11 which on the next movement of the cubicles will be located in the left row while the other cubicles then filled will move one step forwardly. It will now be noted that eleven of the twelve cubicles on the floor level will be filled. By movement of the cubicles, the empty cubicles can be brought to the initial position or that shown at 1 in the first cycle. At this location, this cubicle can be elevated, if required, to pursue the cycle described on a second floor of the structure.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 7, the tiers of cubicles are arranged one above the other. At one end of the structure is provided an elevator 90 which carries cubicles to the upper tier as required. An elevator is provided at the opposite end of the structure as indicated at 91. In cycle 1, a car has entered the cubicle 92 then located in elevator 90 and the elevator 90 bearing the cubicle and its car then rises to the upper tier simultaneously with the rise of elevator 91, the elevator 91 also rising to the upper tier. In cycle 2 elevator 90 is shown as having risen to the upper tier and elevator 91 has also risen to that tier and is positioned there. Empty cubicles occupying the spaces indicated at 93 to 96 inclusive, are shifted to the right, so that cubicle 92 can move into space 93, while cubicle in space 96 moves into the elevator 91. Empty elevator 90 now descends and elevator 91, carrying an empty cubicle, also descends. In cycle 4 both elevators are shown positioned in the lower tier; all of the cubicles in the lower tier, including that which was brought down by elevator 91 are shifted one step to the left so that elevator 90 now contains a cubicle and elevator 91 is empty. Both elevators now rise to the upper tier as seen in cycle 5 and all of the cubicles in the upper tier than move to the right, placing an empty cubicle in the elevator 91 and making room on the upper tier for the cubicle and contained car on elevator 90,

which cubicle is shifted to the right to occupy a place on the upper tier. Now, as seen in cycle 6, the two elevators 90 and 91 descend. Elevator 90 at this time conttains no cubicle, while elevator 91 carries down an empty cubicle to the lower tier. When the two elevators reach the lower tier, all of the cubicles in that tier are shifted to the left, thus placing an empty cubicle in the elevator 90 and removing a cubicle from the elevator 91.

In cycle 7 a car has been delivered into the cphicleiii elevator and this elevator and the empty elevator 91 structure now appears as shown in cycle 10. Againthe two elevators rise tothe upper tierand; after this occurs, all of the cubicles in the upper tier move to the right bringing a car-containing cubicle into the elevator 91 while the car-holding cubicle is moved from the elevator 9b. This is shown in cycle 11.

The sequence of operations just described is repeated until eight of the ten cubicles shown are filled with cars, the two elevators remaining empty for the removal of any desired car when called for.

The structure of the improved storage system is such that it can be completely controlled by push-button operation through suitable electric circuit to the motors which selectively control the operation of the cubicleremoving means, namely racks and worms arranged under the cubicles in the manner suggested in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. For simplicity in description the invention is described in connection with relatively simple units. These units may be arranged in multiples so that a large building or a relatively large frame structure may contain a substantial number of multiple units so arranged and grouped that available space is utilized to a maximum extent for the storage of cars. In Figs. 6 and 7 a two tier unit is disclosed, but it will be apparent that a multi-tier unit following the teaching of the structure described is wholly possible.

For the removal of any car in the multiple floor system, the cubicles are moved about in a rectilinear path either clockwisely or counter-clockwisely, whichever path of travel happens to be nearest to the loading and unloading station, until the proper cubicle reaches the loading and unloading station at any floor level and subsequently halted at the street floor level either in the horizontal or vertical plane of operation; the door of the cubicle is then opened, the platform containing the car is then slid out and the car driven off and into the street.

While I have herein described several embodiments of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broad enough to cover all structures coming within the scope of the annexed claim.

What I claim is:

In an automobile storage apparatus, a plurality of cubicles each of which receives an automobile for storage, a frame on which the cubicles are movably supported, each cubicle being provided at the bottom with a plurality of rollers swivelly mounted and resting on the frame and permitting longitudinal, as well as crosswise movement of the cubicle on said frame, said rollers being adapted to carry the cubicles through a rectilinear path with an intermittent movement, means for imparting said intermittent movement to each cubicle comprising a first set of worms located below and extending longitudinally over and causing longitudinal movement only of the cubicle, a plurality of longitudinally-extending racks on the bottom of each cubicle and maintained in mesh with the worms during longitudinal travel of the cubicles, a plurality of transverse racks on the bottom of each cubicle, transverse worms on the frame adapted for engagement with the transverse racks, the transverse worms being rotatably operative to move the cubicles sidewisely and when doing so to disengage the longitudinally-extending racks from the longitudinally-extending worms, the swivelled rollers on the bottom of each cubicle being located inwardly of the racks on each cubicle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Schwartz et al. Feb. 25, 1913 Newmark Nov. 13, 1917 Hamilton et a1 May 11, 1920 Waldron Nov. 27, 1928 Young Sept. 16, 1930 Black Oct. 17, 1933 Rome et a1. Jan. 21, 1936 Tiedemann July 28, 1936 8 V Auger et a1. Jan. 9, 1940 Auger et a1 May 21,1940 Levy et a1 Oct. 28, 1941 Rickland; Dec. 3, 1946 Walker Sept. 25,1951 Morley May 27, 1952 Keith Nov. 30, 1954 Leopold July-12, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Sweden Feb. 25, 1936 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1952 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1946 Great Britain Mar. 18, 1953 

